Beyond the basement
By Chris Kenworthy
Join me, Chris Kenworthy, as I take an idea or problem for a walk, usually in the woods somewhere. I also share discoveries from my latest adventures in improv or touchy-feely hippy stuff. Hopefully between us we'll find wisdom and new ways to look at old problems?
I’m a certified transformative coach & improviser of unscripted comedy and drama. I live in Leeds in West Yorkshire (UK). Find me at www.chriskenworthy.co.uk or @chriskenworthy on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Beyond the basementJun 08, 2023
00:00
14:36
Are you overburdened?
If you're a superhuman doer, someone who likes to get on and progress, maybe you're prone to slumps? Perhaps you find yourself staring into space, unable to get motivated. It could be that you're overburdened.
Jun 08, 202314:36
Fake it 'til you make it
When we're not sure what's going on, or what to do next, pretending that you do is often enough to nudge in that direction. It can give you and the people around you, the confidence to get started, and make sense of the situation. This is another principle from improvised comedy and drama that can help in life too. We'll be exploring it at the next Leeds improv Co-Lab play session on June 6th. www.tickettailor.com/events/chriskenworthy?
Jun 05, 202313:06
Mistakes and failing in improv
What does it mean to mess up, get things wrong, or for things to otherwise not quite work out as we'd planned? Happy little accidents is the theme of our next improv Co-lab session in Leeds. Yet there's something for everyone on how we relate to our inevitable mistakes.
May 25, 202309:55
Where do you float between masculine and feminine?
The more I coach, the more I think gender isn't a helpful distinction between human beings. Even the terms ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ make me nervous. Here's a deconstruction and (perhaps) a more helpful way of making sense of who we are in the world.
May 25, 202319:58
Temporary chaos zones and stuffed kitchen drawers
This wonderful metaphor for what happens when we don't healthily process our thoughts and feelings, came from a client recently. Sooner or later the drawer will overflow, or worse, burst...
May 17, 202317:60
No, coaches don't have it all sussed
Like all humans, us coaches can be messy, fallible contradictions too. Just in case we give the impression we're always living a best life. Would you want it any other way?
May 15, 202312:45
Imperfect progress, imperfect “goals”
How do you set realistic, meaningful goals as a perfectionist?
How do you prioritise the process over the outcome?
Fellow coach and friend Vix Anderton and I talk about imperfect action, reframing goals as something more inspiring, living your goals in the present and more.
In this short yet juicy conversation we shared laughter and joy on a topic that can sometimes leave us feeling like failures.
We covered: play and movement 🙃the power of asking why ❓embodying your goals 💛 and the importance of experimenting.
Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/AHPjhIzfIKg
How do you prioritise the process over the outcome?
Fellow coach and friend Vix Anderton and I talk about imperfect action, reframing goals as something more inspiring, living your goals in the present and more.
In this short yet juicy conversation we shared laughter and joy on a topic that can sometimes leave us feeling like failures.
We covered: play and movement 🙃the power of asking why ❓embodying your goals 💛 and the importance of experimenting.
Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/AHPjhIzfIKg
May 11, 202330:24
Play it big
This principle of improv invites us to reveal more of our inner world, to make more of a scene of ourselves. Not just in pursuit of more watchable performance, but so other people know what's going on for us, in life. Why leave it all to guesswork? Play it big. Link to event: bit.ly/improvleeds
May 09, 202310:00
A singular cause of most misery: feeling bad for feeling bad
Last night I did a duff improv performance. Rather than languish in pity, here I volunteer the experience, diving into some of the helpful tricks the head and heart play when you're emotionally activated by a tricky situation.
May 08, 202316:18
What you want, what you need. What's the difference?
This month, Ellie Lloyd-Jones (another big hearted, talented, smart, beautiful coach) and I are taking a bunch of purposeful business folk out into Derbyshire for a half-day of immersive conversation and connection in nature. Here's what hosting NetWalking Leeds (a mini version of this) taught me so far about humans when they give themselves just this. Link to the event, if you're curious to join: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/elevate-with-ellie-57510010673#events
May 02, 202318:07
Ever been judgey?
Right or wrong, good or bad. Does your inner critic run the show; noticing, categorising and criticising? Here's a new way of looking at judgement and being judgemental. It could just be the greatest gift you never knew you had...
Apr 27, 202322:02
Follow your feet
How this simple principle in improvisation might help us out of a tight spot, when we don't know what to do next. We'll be playing with this theme at improv Co-lab this coming Thursday, my open event for improvisers in Leeds www.tickettailor.com/events/chriskenworthy
Apr 25, 202310:22
Women who wa*k (fooling & improv)
Joanne Tremarco's improvised performance of a show by this name inspires Chris, almost to the point of complete emotional dysfunction, late night at the Liverpool improvisation festival. To the point he even gets her name wrong. Here I'm very excited by fooling, a performance technique I did in a workshop earlier in the day with JOANNE
Apr 23, 202324:16
Improv dairies: a weekend of fables, folk and fun
Dragons, giants, magic, castles and gophers. This weekend's improv intensive on storytelling and movement had it all. Here comes the feels and reflections on everything that went down. Link to information about Chris Mead, who led the weekend: chrismead.co/
Apr 17, 202339:21
Are humans essentially selfish?
Today's emergency question that we're playing with, from Richard Herring's book of the same name. Do we instinctively act out of self interest? Are we just animals? Is there such a thing as a truly selfless act? Naturally, you'll discover all the answers to life's big questions, here in a windy park in Leeds.
Apr 12, 202313:01
Let reality decide if an idea is good enough
Hoot! Yesterday we launched Leeds' first improv Co-lab event. Here's the story of the universe calling me out on an idea through to making a real thing, and everything I learned along the way.
Apr 06, 202314:02
What tragedy and loss taught me about emotions
Most emotions felt elusive to me, once. Then life went thermonuclear… Here’s what we can learn about a more open way of life.
Apr 04, 202311:26
Welcome everything (for improvisers)
Next Monday I launch my first drop-in improv event. And this is our theme: welcoming everything. I pinched it from my second love, Authentic Relating. But what does it mean? How does welcoming everything make life better?
Mar 30, 202316:15
Which celebrity would you want stroking your hair while you die?
Playing with another of Richard Herring's emergency questions before I write about it on LinkedIn later. Somehow I turned this into an awkward dance around gender inequality, arousal and death - all natural bedfellows.
Mar 28, 202311:43
On wintering
Rest and retreat is a tricky one if you prefer to be doing and getting on with life. Here we explore what it is to take a winter, and deliberately permit yourself a period of slowing down and reflecting.
Mar 12, 202324:13
What’s under your onion skin(s)?
I came face-to-face with anger this weekend. I met what's really going on in us, what we avoid, and the darker side of what drives us. Here's what happened, and what might be happening for you - under all those layers of protection. Reflections from my recent retreat all about personality, trauma and freedom from both.
Mar 07, 202326:42
Who are(n't) you?
If you aren't your thoughts, which come and go. Who are you? Same with emotions, how you relate to yourself, they change too, right? So who are you? And if you aren't the same person you were when you were younger, yesterday, last year. WHO ARE YOU? Here comes the Enneagram with sweet relief, for existential questions like this...
Mar 04, 202320:11
How change happens (smooth and painlessly)
An epic exploration of the quirks, patterns, and character of change. Plus what seems to help the process or make it smoother and more painless. These are collected observations during periods of change in my own life, and those of my coaching clients.
Feb 28, 202334:25
Push the button
You, the REAL you, are your imagination, apparently. And the best way to meet real you is to push that button, without thinking too much.
Feb 28, 202313:15
What's the worst thing you've ever eaten for a bet?
Emergency questions! Each week we play with a couple of provocations from Richard Herring's book over on LinkedIn. Edgy questions that I improvise responses too. Now I'm mashing it up with this audio blog, to expand the game. www.linkedin.com/in/chriskenworthy
Feb 22, 202313:26
When the universe makes you an offer you can't refuse
Looks like nature heard my previous episode and called me out on my plan to get more regular improv into my daily practice.
Feb 20, 202312:15
An improv challenge idea for you...
Just playing out loud with an idea to transpose improv principles into daily life, in a set of weekly challenges and reflections. Maybe you'd like to join me...
Feb 14, 202311:16
Hopes to habits
But of an update after that anti-goal rant a few weeks back. What if, like me, you're one of those people who don't go in for 'mindset' and the intrinsic motivation of some future target? How the hell do you have anything to aim for and account for human messiness? This is my search for a better way, that works for people like us.
Feb 07, 202311:50
How to human, day 2
The juiciest bits from my recent Berlin adventure - probing the deeper parts of human connection on an Authentic Relating level 2 course. We explore eye contact, vibes, arguments, pride, and being welcoming.
Jan 31, 202323:05
How to human, day 1
Feel the desire to go beyond everyday chitchat? Long to feel more deeply connected to other humans? Live from Berlin, here's my diary of the first day of a level two authentic relating course; on this very human challenge.
Jan 29, 202327:09
The perils of speaking up (or not)
This one's all about how we relate to people. What might be going on when you withdraw, go quiet, or get all sorts of mixed thoughts and feelings during conversations with others.
Jan 18, 202318:57
Annual reviews: f*ck 'em?
Plans, goals, new year's resolutions and reflections. Got 'em sussed? I certainly haven't.
Jan 06, 202316:27
What's your story of doing?
Eating stale pain au chocolat in a damp car, we're wondering about our relationship with getting things done.
Jan 04, 202313:34
A companion so companionable as solitude
What if extricating ourselves from the bustle of civilisation, family, work is the only way to find paths to joy?
Dec 20, 202212:20
Are you waiting for the 'right' way or right time?
This one might be lurking behind indecision or second guessing yourself.
Dec 08, 202213:53
Improv diaries: hivemind and groupthink
Chris thinks about Nazis after a lesson in doing big, messy improv scenes with lots of people.
Dec 01, 202212:54
The shittiest job I ever had
Mildly amusing reflections on my time as a kitchen porter at a hotel in my home town.
Nov 27, 202217:03
Something's coming...
Quick newsflash on a shift in direction and an upcoming project that might pique your interest. Also, THANKS FOR LISTENING x
Nov 24, 202208:52
It's probably good enough
Misty reflections on how we humans are probably the worst judges of the things we create. And why just bringing a thing into the world might be where our role and responsibilities end.
Nov 14, 202213:43
Holding lightly to what you've committed to
Companion follow-up ramble to my recent episode about committing, to an action or decision. Disjointed. Hey, I'm tired.
Nov 12, 202213:44
Improv diaries: Jesus approves
Dressed in Lycra, lurking in the shadows of Liverpool catholic cathedral, here's some before and after reflections on week two of a new improv course I've joined.
Nov 11, 202226:53
SLOW DOWN (you urgent so-and-so)
What happens when we do nothing...
Nov 07, 202210:55
What's your body up to?
Slumped? Swaggering? Today's wander is about body posture and position - what it tells you, and the power it has over us.
Nov 05, 202214:01
F%#k self-love!
No effort required. No trying. You're doing this REALLY WELL already.
Oct 31, 202213:02
What committing really means (maybe).
Ever second-guess yourself? Doubt yourself before you even get started? This one's for you. A recent improv adventure might offer a helpful way forward, when it comes to throwing yourself behind whatever it is you care about. Yet still be ok when things don't go to plan...
Oct 27, 202216:46
Improv diaries: day 4 at the Maydays retreat
Final installment of excitable me mansplaining principles from improvised comedy and drama. Also, insight and reflections from the retreat as a whole.
Oct 24, 202236:57
Improv diaries: day 3 at the Maydays retreat
It's the penultimate day at The Maydays improvised comedy and drama retreat. Here's a bundle of reflections and nuggets. Maybe they'll help. They're helping me alright.
Oct 23, 202222:06
Improv diaries: day 2 at the Maydays retreat
Not baked but lightly boiled and al denté after the second day at the Maydays improviswd comedy and drama retreat. Highlights from my favourite workshops of the day, plus enlightening learns we can all plug into daily life to make it more yes, and.
Oct 21, 202226:54
Improv diaries: day 1 at the Maydays retreat
First frantic bulletin from the Maydays improv retreat, about slowing down, ironically. I'm in Warwickshire for a four day retreat playing improvised theatre.
Oct 20, 202212:24
The universe doesn't get it wrong
What's your thing? Fate, faith, serendipity, god, fortune? Something about 'the universe doesn't get it wrong' links all this stuff together. Let's see if we can find the wisdom in this meandering monologue.
Oct 18, 202213:47
Love: you GOT IT ALL WRONG!
Is closeness the best we can hope for in relationships? Why do we keep fcking up? Mind-blowing gems from a little book with big ideas - Undefended Love. www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/827262.Undefended_Love
Oct 14, 202219:08
Get shit done without killing yourself
Experiments in productivity and cyclical living; ways of noticing where you're at and what you're capable of. Here's my friend Vix Anderton's website, who I mention in this episode: vixanderton.com/get-it-done
Oct 10, 202218:06
Happy startup school summercamp - what I learned
It seems a few of you from Instagram are curious about what went down in a field near Brighton, mid last month, with me and a load of other business hippies. Here's the lowdown. www.instagram.com/chriskenworthy/
Oct 04, 202231:37
What excites me about you
The joy of surprising yourself, to cope and adapt better than you thought you would to the unexpected, is your birthright as a human being. And I f*cking love it. Wanna play?
Oct 01, 202217:19
Creative destruction and the liminal void
Humans HATE uncertainty. It's why we avoid disrupting the status quo. Here's what it's really like on the other side of profound upheaval. Spoiler: it ain't all bad.
Sep 21, 202215:20
Mummy & daddy still love you
Change. Mid-life. Grief. It's been a while since we last spoke, but here's a bumper edition of reflection from life's latest shitstorm / call to adventure. Too soon? Probably. Something for everyone here though, on navigating BIG change in life.
Aug 31, 202221:46
Be.Do.Have
Meet the creative/intuitive cycle. The greatest circle of life you've never heard of. I'm very excited about this. It's like when you see a piece of artwork that perfectly expresses how life is for you, but gives you new ways of looking at it too. Credit: Penney Peirce in the Intuitive Way.
May 26, 202215:08
When you get around to what matters
I CAN'T DO IT ALL. CAN I HAVE SOME FUN PLZ? Productivity is a joke, but that's not to say we can't organise our time better. Here's what my dream told me about taking a joy-first approach and asking the right questions. This one's for anyone feeling overwhelmed with commitments, a mixture of apathy/frustration (on Mondays), and would generally prefer to get around to more of what you enjoy.
A handy list of questions to ask yourself when organising your time: https://wp.me/p1L8DU-4Bp
May 09, 202219:21
Pokes: a day of smashing ideas together on something quite exciting
I'm building a little something for your inner ninja, pirate, robot. It's a fun and playful way to free yourself up for even more fun. Permission to do more of what you enjoy. And what good is a fun product if it isn't created in a fun and playful way? Here's where we're up to, and how things can unexpectedly come together if you give yourself a little breathing space.
Apr 28, 202210:11
You're not a factory. Newsflash.
Ever find yourself staring into space instead of being 'productive'? Not getting around to the things you enjoy? Maybe the old ways of brute force and planning just aren't for you. They certainly aren't for me any more.
Apr 26, 202215:01
What could have been "one of those days"
Things began so well. An early start. A swim. Good intentions. Then shit happened. A live experiment in how a problem often isn't really the problem. It's the way we relate to it. Maybe.
Apr 05, 202209:21
A taste of my own medicine: micro pokes, intuition and joylessness
Here's what happens when we get stuck in our heads and repress our intuitive desire to be playful and do/make things we love. Micro-pokes is a product I'm building for you lot, to help with all the above. Yet it's stalled by the very same struggle.
Mar 31, 202212:01
Improv chronicles: the big showcase
It's the last day of a 3 day improvised comedy intensive course. Some reflections on 'who shows up' by default when we're stressed, play as recovery and getting into your body (and out of your head).
Mar 28, 202218:46
Overdrawn from the emotional bank account
The dog's being a bastard after a week of taxing tribulations.
Mar 26, 202212:02
Live, high-stakes experiment in intuition and discernment
Would you like to make better decisions? Listen along, as I put my head in the lion's jaw of contemporary capitalism. A very middle class story of how house-buying (or any situation riddled with uncertainty) becomes more tolerable, by attuning your head, heart and gut. Not only that, you gain comfort and foresight should things not play out as you'd hoped. You fool.
Mar 23, 202232:03
Improv chronicles: day two of intensive for beginners
Resting bitch face, how setting an intention maybe affects EVERYTHING. Reflections from the second day of an afternoon-long improvised comedy course.
Mar 21, 202207:19
More improv chronicles: back to basics
I've been running before I can walk, with improvised comedy. Time to slow down and get back to basics. Some ramblings from day one of an intensive course I'm attending. Much to learn. Much to share.
Mar 14, 202211:54
When something's missing in life, or doesn't feel quite right.
My hazy attempt at putting words to a feeling that might sound familiar. Life's OK, but you're not quite in control, you've plateaued maybe. There's restlessness in your work, relationships, career and general wellbeing. Yet who are we to complain? Here I'll explore the situation, volunteer some observations, and hopefully connect some dots that'll help.
Mar 10, 202216:08
Shit haircut (a story of intuition gone wrong + some accidental racism)
Oh look, a new hairdresser has opened, I wonder what it's like? Let's try it out. How we laughed *together* at what happened next. A counterpoint to the assumption that following your intuition or desire always leads to something good.
Mar 03, 202208:14
When you don't trust yourself
Brutal though, perhaps. But what if second-guessing ourselves is a trust thing. I'm wondering what's a healthy amount of thinking before you act? What's a healthy amount of trusting that that desire is enough to act on, giving yourself what you need? I don't know. Join me in not knowing.
Mar 03, 202212:34
The ART of being human
A juicy bundle of reflections from last weekend's retreat on relating more deeply to our fellow humans. A stream of consciousness sandwich with a salient, crunchy filling in the middle.
Mar 01, 202233:29
The improv-life experiment begins (or continues)
Oops. Today I find myself out of my depth (in a good way), when all I really wanted to do was pay someone a compliment. Or did I?
Feb 16, 202209:55
When you don't know what you want
Rough isn't it? The urge to fill the void of not knowing and uncertainty with a definitive answer. Here's why you're not alone, and what might really be going on. Live from the epicentre of high-stakes decision-making in a teen skate park, west Leeds.
Jan 20, 202217:52
Physically shitting it, with intelligence
Nerves, excitement, fear get to me before a big day. Then I have the temerity to talk about influencing your body chemistry, thoughts and feelings. Again, the irony is not wasted on me.
Jan 06, 202208:31
Season 2 of me other podcast begins today
If you like my shit, check out the pessimist's guide to a hopeful future, a podcast beyond the confines of my head. Here there are other humans, with actual wisdom, and insightful interviews. Here's what season 2 is all about.
Nov 23, 202105:16
Allotment mourning
This allotment has been in my life for about 5 years now. But I've given it up. I walk past it most days and you know what? I feel only relief. That tells me I've made the right decision, I think. I've been wondering if I'm in a kind of mourning - the aftermath of making a significant decision or a change in life. We call it reflection, with regret, relief, sadness, happiness - whatever, but we go through a kind of separation. When the consequences of what we've done linger for a while.
I'll miss planting in Spring. And the wildlife. The digging and manuring. I won't miss the veiled Brexity-racism, moaning, and petty politics. It wasn't the leftie utopia I'd hoped for. More like an extension of British gardens where we like to keep ourselves to ourselves.
Realisitically, the allotment isn't a priority any more, what with growing my coaching practice, a new dog and planning to move house. Proximity to nature, muddy fingers and the stench of compost is very much who I am, and to give up the allotment feels like a betrayal of that. But it's only temporary. I'm sure my green-fingered urges will resurface, probably when we get our own garden.
Good news is I left the plot in a better state then when I got it. I added a greenhouse, shed, raised beds and the soil is incredible, thanks to a veggie rich diet feeding the compost heaps. The new owner has taken it on as a retirement project, and she's lovely. I'm glad it's in good hands.
For now, I'm content to indulge the mourning, if that's what it is. The body's way of coming to terms with loss, perhaps. I think it's important to allow time to process thoughts and feelings. Maybe I need a ritual?
I'll miss planting in Spring. And the wildlife. The digging and manuring. I won't miss the veiled Brexity-racism, moaning, and petty politics. It wasn't the leftie utopia I'd hoped for. More like an extension of British gardens where we like to keep ourselves to ourselves.
Realisitically, the allotment isn't a priority any more, what with growing my coaching practice, a new dog and planning to move house. Proximity to nature, muddy fingers and the stench of compost is very much who I am, and to give up the allotment feels like a betrayal of that. But it's only temporary. I'm sure my green-fingered urges will resurface, probably when we get our own garden.
Good news is I left the plot in a better state then when I got it. I added a greenhouse, shed, raised beds and the soil is incredible, thanks to a veggie rich diet feeding the compost heaps. The new owner has taken it on as a retirement project, and she's lovely. I'm glad it's in good hands.
For now, I'm content to indulge the mourning, if that's what it is. The body's way of coming to terms with loss, perhaps. I think it's important to allow time to process thoughts and feelings. Maybe I need a ritual?
Nov 09, 202108:26
Love and chaos
In case you haven't noticed, which seems unlikely, we got a puppy. Dog, it turns out are agents of change. Catalysts for personal growth and destruction. I've also become a walking cliché for middle class parenting. Listen to a broken man witter about everything you already knew about family life.
Nov 02, 202111:01
The improv come-down (final day on retreat)
The improv retreat comes to an end, and I'm left to process the fall-out on Birmingham New Street station concourse. Alone. Broken. Sleep-deprived. Yet deeply inspired.
Oct 25, 202109:54
Peaking on improv (day two of retreat)
It's the second day of this comedy improv retreat my intuition hoodwinked me into attending. This is so much fun, so much to learn, nice people I'm having a nice time are you I can't slow my brain down please can I sleep now this is more than I can handle give me more.
Oct 24, 202109:48
That's what we call it in the improv industry, darling
Facing the demons/music on day one of this daft improv retreat my intuition signed me up for.
Oct 22, 202115:06
Gammon Scout master and the watch
That time my dead grandad's watch nearly got me nonced by a guy with calves like gammon.
Aug 16, 202112:07
The top 3 times I almost died (teenage edition)
More grim recollections from a misspent adolescence in a northern industrial town.
Jul 30, 202112:35
Bees on the brain with Gaz
Gaz has a magnificent, racing mind. Here we attempt to unearth wisdom from how he manages thoughts into action, and what it's like living with ADHD. Bit of a departure from my usual audio blog format, but this is such a lovely, insightful interview. Hope I do him justice. I also hope it helps you feel more aware of your own thought processes too, and how you might begin to channel your genius. Yes, genius.
Jun 24, 202132:15
SPIBS: split personalities in business syndrome
Have you got a professional self and a personal self? Do colleagues or clients get a different version of you than at play? Sounds tiring...
Jun 22, 202106:41
Putting the feelers out for improv-minded folk
Just throwing this one out to the universe. Looking for a collaborator to play with an idea I've got for subverting seriousness. Comedians, performers, stand-up, artists. Is that you? Know anyone?
Jun 21, 202104:37
All is well with the world. Or is it? #AudioMo day 18
Everything's in its place. I'm stealing a march on the day. What could go wrong? How do some people find contentment amongst the chaos, even when things aren't going so well?
Jun 19, 202105:38
A chance encounter by a skip #AudioMo
I'm not ashamed to say I'm drawn to rubbish. Skips, bins, fly-tipping, fruity dog eggs and obscene graffiti. Our effluent says a lot about humanity.
Or perhaps my curiosity says more about me, and my kind of people.
Last week, I spotted a fun looking skip in Armley (a run-down, yet proud district of Leeds). So I paused to film a spoof advert for a friend ("What's that? No fires? BURN IT with Beesley's Skips!").
What happened next was the last thing I expected...
A hatted, bespectacled man walking a shaggy dog approached me, with a European accent. "Ah, you find this strange too?", he asked, smiling and pointing at the skip - a hideous layer cake of sofa, carpets and mattresses. He looked like someone from a Wes Anderson film.
A fat brown rat jumped out the skip, sized us up for a fight, then clearly throught better of it, idly wandering into the overgrown weeds.
I paused for a moment, ready to spin some yarn about art, and play down my perverse interest in discarded human treasure. Then I thought, f*ck it. So I told him about the spoof video. He laughed, then we spoke about how odd, wasteful and filthy humans can be. Common ground.
It soon transpired he was an economist. And in the space of five minutes we went from bins, to the role of social economics in Keynesian theory, Kate Raworth's doughnut, and the lunacy of austerity Britain.
Not your typical fayre, on Armley's notorious town street.
I suppose, by being my unashamed, curious, weirdo self, I learned a little more about something that matters to me. Maybe I made a new friend outside my usual circles. And perhaps he'll guest on my 'Pessimist's guide to a hopeful future' podcast, or open my mind to edgier economic thinking.
Coaches often drone on about putting yourself out there, authenticity and connection. Maybe this was that: a profound illustration there's no 'right' way to do things, only your way, the way you already do, naturally.
Or maybe I'm just a curious weirdo and other curious weirdos are my tribe. We love unusual dog turds.
What's the oddest thing you've ever done that led to an unexpected connection?
Or perhaps my curiosity says more about me, and my kind of people.
Last week, I spotted a fun looking skip in Armley (a run-down, yet proud district of Leeds). So I paused to film a spoof advert for a friend ("What's that? No fires? BURN IT with Beesley's Skips!").
What happened next was the last thing I expected...
A hatted, bespectacled man walking a shaggy dog approached me, with a European accent. "Ah, you find this strange too?", he asked, smiling and pointing at the skip - a hideous layer cake of sofa, carpets and mattresses. He looked like someone from a Wes Anderson film.
A fat brown rat jumped out the skip, sized us up for a fight, then clearly throught better of it, idly wandering into the overgrown weeds.
I paused for a moment, ready to spin some yarn about art, and play down my perverse interest in discarded human treasure. Then I thought, f*ck it. So I told him about the spoof video. He laughed, then we spoke about how odd, wasteful and filthy humans can be. Common ground.
It soon transpired he was an economist. And in the space of five minutes we went from bins, to the role of social economics in Keynesian theory, Kate Raworth's doughnut, and the lunacy of austerity Britain.
Not your typical fayre, on Armley's notorious town street.
I suppose, by being my unashamed, curious, weirdo self, I learned a little more about something that matters to me. Maybe I made a new friend outside my usual circles. And perhaps he'll guest on my 'Pessimist's guide to a hopeful future' podcast, or open my mind to edgier economic thinking.
Coaches often drone on about putting yourself out there, authenticity and connection. Maybe this was that: a profound illustration there's no 'right' way to do things, only your way, the way you already do, naturally.
Or maybe I'm just a curious weirdo and other curious weirdos are my tribe. We love unusual dog turds.
What's the oddest thing you've ever done that led to an unexpected connection?
Jun 16, 202105:36
An audience with your inner critic
Reflections on a thing I did with some people. A workshop with improv and role play, getting to know the inner critic. Here's what happened. Photo credit: Andy T https://unsplash.com/photos/EiDWIYspZyc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink
Jun 15, 202110:44
Friday Fireside with Happy Start School
You know when you say yes to something significant, then pop it in your calendar when it's ages away, then all of a sudden it comes along and turns out it's ACTUALLY happening? We'll, that's the story behind my upcoming live broadcast interview with my friends over at The Happy Startup School. Holy kak. What to do next? Preparation or presence? Laugh or cry? Catch the event at www.crowdcast.io/e/subvert-your-serious/register
Jun 14, 202108:07
You can't be serious?
That time all the buses went wrong and I thought I could run a better public transport system than a district council. Why so serious? How might humour be a route out? Why is fun, play and compassion often the last place we want to go? What other options are there?
Jun 10, 202106:10
What it's like being an Airbnb host
Our experiences so far of hosting two Airbnb lets in our home. Airbnb is a website to rent out rooms or property. How it's going, stories about interesting guests and how to make it work. Our listings: www.airbnb.com/h/cosy-vibrant-wortley and www.airbnb.com/h/quirky-comfy-wortley
Jun 08, 202115:59
Society is antisocial? #AudioMo
Uh oh, Chris has been on his own for to long. #AudioMo day 7.
Jun 07, 202103:47
Incestuous terrapins #AudioMo
Fond-ish memories of a childhood pond. Day 4 of the #AudioMo challenge to record an audio blog every day in June. Photo by Benjamin Wong: https://unsplash.com/photos/Z_OmqGohZHc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink
Jun 04, 202106:25
Always a seagull without wings #AudioMo
Today we play a little game about thoughts and feelings. knowyourmeme.com/photos/1618206
Jun 03, 202103:00
Stuck on how? #AudioMo
This one's for folk feeling stuck in the impossibility of a perennial problem. Whichever way you turn, is there a roadblock? Live and (partly) unscripted from the allotment. Inspired by June's #AudioMo challenge.
Jun 02, 202124:50
Honk hog #AudioMo
Here's how to give your day a lift, completely for free. Or end it with crushing disappointment before it even began. Part of the #AudioMo experiment: https://audiomo.tumblr.com/
Jun 01, 202105:35
Lumpy porridge floor
What can a lumpy floor and self-levelling compound teach us about fear, control and change? More than you think, in a brief return to the basement for this episode. If you're a perfectionist or procrastinate from time to time, you'll identify with the cycle of fear, hesitance and imagination that's often the precursor to actually getting on with things. Maybe you'll learn a little bit about self-levelling floor compounds too.
Oct 08, 202014:43
Qui est la? (French special in the forest)
Join me for a petit sojourn into a French forest to convene with Sasquatch and our fear of the unknown. Immersed beneath the canopy and with darkness encroaching, I wonder if there's a time and a place for those uncomfortable feelings we get, when we don't know 'what's out there'? Just a theory. Let's find out...
Sep 16, 202013:21
Thunderstorms and beheading
I'm scared of thunder and lightening. There, I said it. Now, what next? When we're faced with fear, uncertainty and discomfort - where do we go from there? What's an appropriate response? Join me in the midst of an extreme climatic event for a scary story without a point (well, not one that comes immediately).
Sep 01, 202010:36
Down t' pit
After a funny couple of weeks, Chris clambours into a ditch to cheer himself up - in search of a disused mine. No coal to report, but irreverent insight abounds in this episode all about how every challenge is relative, and just as valid as any other. And if anyone who ever tells you to 'pull yourself together' or 'it could be worse', tell them to get lost - ideally down an long dark hole.
Aug 18, 202012:04
Herbicidal warfare
Ever notice things seem to happen in cycles - moods, motivation, action, rest and rumination? It's almost as if humans are part of some vast, natural, seasonal system where everything is influenced by everything else around it. Or am I talking complete tosh again. And is this just another aimless rant about the time my neighbour slaughtered a wildflower patch to store some bins? Listen to find out.
For more about what inspired this episode, read Jen Carrington's excellent article about intentional seasons.
And yes, I meant 'herbicidal' when I said 'insecticidal'. Oops.
Aug 11, 202008:18
The very serious incident of the subscribe form
Join me, on a voyage into unchartered territory - pushing the boundaries of technology and communication, on a quest to add a text box and a button to my website. Bear witness as this human being, like many others before him, takes the problem way too seriously, overcomplicates things, and loses all perspective on the situation. Time for a bit of space, maybe?
Jul 29, 202010:54
The tale of Bob and Decca
Two little urchins at an inner city college are about to tear strips out of each other, until a wise, kindly, yet grossly under-trained classroom assistant steps in and does very little. Crisis averted? Let's find out. Maybe we can squeeze something insightful out of this...
Jul 20, 202013:05
Rebuttal from Cabbage Hill
The last thing we need from lockdown is more podcasts by middle-aged white men; said some plonker on the Twitters I've never met, yet whose opinion I decided to heed. Isn't it funny how we let off-hand remarks like this (regardless of who made them) influence the course of our lives? That's the story behind this short public rebuttal. Yes, they're probably correct, but why do we, and should we ever pay attention to naysayers? I didn't, that's why you're listening to another podcast by a middle-aged white man.
Jul 13, 202008:52
Let's play the Phil Collins game
An old man speaks on BBC Radio 6Music. He sounds wrought, his cockney tones lacerated with vocal fry and weariness. He sounds familiar yet distant. A voice speaking of and from my past.
I recognise it, and all at once, Phil Collins becomes the harbinger of death. This jovial, pinball-headed drummer assumes the form of the human condition — mortality itself, squaring up to me, eyeball-to-eyeball, toe-to-toe, sizing me up for the fight of my life.
https://medium.com/@chris_kenworthy/lets-all-play-the-phil-collins-game-51e879872854
Jul 01, 202010:50
Walking the Wortley Curve
Welcome to the epicentre of creativity and self-destruction in West Yorkshire. A sheltered spot for private human indlugence, just a stone's throw from civilisation.
Jun 30, 202012:44